Rose Pogonias

A saturated meadow,

     Sun-shaped and jewel-small,

A circle scarcely wider

     Than the trees around were tall;

Where winds were quite excluded,

     And the air was stifling sweet

With the breath of many flowers,—

    A temple of the heat.

These were bowed us in the burning,

     As the sun’s right worship is,

To pick where none could miss them

     A thousand orchises;

For though the grass was scattered,

    Yet every second spear

Seemed tipped with wings of color,

     That tinged the atmosphere.

We raised a simple prayer

     Before we left the spot,

That in the general mowing

     That place might be forgot;

Or if not all is favoured,

     Obtain such grace of hours,

That none should mow the grass there

     While so confused with flowers.